Three men who sexually abused a young girl have been handed lengthy prison sentences in Caernarfon Crown Court.

A jury heard the men – Owen Hefin Williams, 71, Robert Hughes, 58, both of Gwalchmai, Anglesey and William David Darbyshire, 52, of Skegness but formerly from Gwalchmai, had “separately but sequentially” abused the girl from when she was eight years old until she was about 14.

Williams, who was found guilty of six indecent assault charges, was jailed for six and a half years.

Hughes and Darbyshire, who had also denied the offences, were jailed for six years and four years respectively.

Judge Merfyn Hughes QC told the men: “The jury has convicted each of you of sexually abusing a young child separately but sequentially.

"There is no evidence you were aware what had previously happened.”

He described Williams as a “dangerous paedophile” who had corrupted the girl and “taken full advantage” of her.

“You groomed her carefully and she gained your trust.

"Despite the things you did to her, she looked forward to meeting you.

"You have previous convictions for similar offences and this aggravates these offences,” the judge added.

Darbyshire, the judge said, had abused the girl from a very young age and had threatened her to prevent her from telling her father of the abuse.

He told Hughes he was responsible for serious abuse of the girl.

Prosecutor Andrew Green said the matters started when the woman, who is now in her mid 40s, was aged eight.

The offences came to light in December 2012 when she gave police a videotaped interview.

Mr Green said the effects of being abused as a child had been “devastating” and added she had been “robbed of her innocence”.

“It has left her confused about relationships with other men.”

He said after the complaint was made police arrested and interviewed all three men.

“Darbyshire denied he had ever indecently assaulted the woman in the way she described or at all. Hughes also denied abusing the girl.

“Williams admitted being a delivery van driver on Anglesey and answered all police questions until the woman’s name was brought up.

“At that point he answered ‘no comment’ to all questions about her,” he said.

Barristers for all three men urged the judge to consider the length of time since the offences were committed.

John Wyn Williams said Owen Williams accepted a custodial sentence was inevitable but pointed out his age and health problems.

Anna Pope, for Darbyshire, said he was a teenager at the time and although he had committed further offences since then these were not of a sexual nature.

Hughes, his barrister Kim Halsall said, had not offended for more than 20 years and was regarded by his employers as hardworking and industrious.

Upon their release from prison all three men must sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.